Aileen (Whitehead) Batson

Aileen (White - head) Batson, age 95, born in Oilton, Oklaho - ma, raised in the Olive com - munity, a grad - uate of Olive High School, and a resident of Tulsa, passed away Friday, July 21, 2023. Aileen's service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 27th at Olive First Baptist Church in Ol - ive, Oklahoma (mailing address in Drumright, Oklahoma). Her burial will be following at the Highland Cemetery in Oilton, Oklahoma starting in the Pavil - ion and moving to her gravesite. Pastor Jerry Ausbrook will be presiding.

Arrangements have been en - trusted to Palmer Marler Funeral Home in Cushing, Oklahoma. Aileen is preceded in death by her husband of 76 years, Birt Austin Batson, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and two of her grandchildren, Amy Brueggen Ford and Eric Neil Brueggen.

Her parents were Albert Hobart Whitehead and Ruth Stayton Whitehead Ruscoe Ervin, and step-father, Harvey Ruscoe. Ai - leen's siblings were Charles "Bill" Whitehead, Ruth Lorene Lochary, Hobert "Junior" Whitehead, and Coetta Ausbrook Todd, all raised in the Olive community. Aileen is survived by her and Birt's five children Mary Brueg - gen and husband Jim, Rick Batson and wife Linda, Ruth Carpenter, Tim Batson and wife Marla, Debbie Copeland and hus - band Burt, and by Ruth's previ - ous husband Marty Carpenter.

Aileen is survived also by many grandchildren including Tracy Keeter and husband Thomas, Amy Ford's husband Steve Ford (wife Johnna), Stephanie Diaz and husband Tommy, Aaron Bat - son and wife Lisa, Jason Batson and wife Traci, Courtney (Batson) Piotrowski and husband Mason, Jourdan Batson, Burton Copeland, and McKaylee Carpenter. She also leaves sever - al great grandchildren including Malachi Keeter, Vincent Keeter, Ian Ford and wife Ivon, Saman - tha Ford, Brittany Diaz and hus - band Filipe Sarmiento, Anthony, and Isabelle Diaz, Jaxon, Sydney, Scott, and Samuel Batson, and Reid and Logan Batson.

She is also survived by many nephews and nieces from her family, who are, Orren Lochary, Gregg Ausbrook, Rev. Jerry Aus - brook, Carlotta Kirkpatrick, Bar - bara Lochary, Jeannie Buster. She also leaves numerous great nephews and nieces, and great- great nephews and nieces. Her cousin left behind is Margerite "Phyllis" Dellinger. Aileen was always a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmoth - er, great grandmother, aunt, great aunt, cousin, and friend. She was faithful in daily Bible study and was a devoted prayer war - rior – a woman of tremendous faith. Her faith in Jesus Christ was immense. Aileen also loved gardening and cooking and was a gracious host, creating wonder - ful Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for years. Aileen also loved crafts and painting, loved games and was an avid reader. She loved each of their dogs. Born into a family who loved to play domi - nos, she became a savy player, and loved to play dominos and other games with her family fol - lowing one of her delicious meals. But most of all she loved her fam - ily and God.

Aileen graduated from Olive High School in 1945. She maintained correspondence with Birt Batson of Oilton, who was serving in the Navy during World War II. They agreed to marry, so she took the train from Oklahoma to Portland, Oregon, where she and Birt mar - ried on April 19, 1946. They loved Portland, but Birt soon separated from the Navy and they returned to Oklahoma, where they at - tended Central State College in Edmond. Soon after, Birt began working for Texaco and they be - gan a lifelong adventure. Before riding the train on a hard, bench seat from Oklahoma to marry Birt Batson in Portland, Oregon, she worked at the Tulsa bus stop, a downtown jewelry store, drug store and chopped wood for her mother's stove be - fore she raised enough money to aord a new gas stove. During Aileen's life, she coordi - nated many family moves from settled home to new home in Oklahoma and Indonesia as her husband, Birt, was re-located by Texaco and Caltex multiple times, even sometimes at a moment's notice. After decades living in Oklahoma, Aileen and Birt lived with their younger children about 7 years in Sumatra, Indonesia where he worked for Caltex Petroleum dur - ing the 1970s. There she found ways to survive life in the jungle (both Duri and Minas Caltex camps) by building friendships, playing occasional bridge and golf with friends, guiding the house - hold, and each morning sent her children o to school with healthy snacks. Visitors never left their home without first being oered a comfortable seat and something to drink and/or eat before Aileen sat down to join the conversation. We will miss her beautiful and kind blue eyes, generous smile, gentle kisses and warm hugs. Her life was not an easy one but her faith In Jesus Christ gave her courage and strength to keep go - ing. Aileen showed love, humility, and grace throughout a challeng - ing life, but hers was a life very well-lived. She was quite creative and continually tried to share light and fun with others around her. Even in her last days, hours and moments, she maintained her eloquence and kindness to the best of her ability to everyone she encountered. Dad loved her dearly til his last day, and must be extremely happy now that she's home again.

Special thanks to all the doctors and sta at Springer Clinic, Uni - versity Village Retirement Com - munity, and Saint Francis Hos - pital, and an extra special thanks to her wonderful caregivers and Evergreen Hospice for the assis -

tance and support received.